Blood and Shadows
by masqueradewitch
Summary: Keeping secrets in the Opera Populaire is hard, and no one nows that more than Mina,an ancient vampire living there as a healer. When she meets the elusive Phantom, she begins to hope that she has found a kindred spirit. Will Fate let the story change?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: I have decided to just go ahead and post this story as my muse keeps poking me and saying I have to post it. It might tae me a few days to get the whole thing up but I will do it. One thing I beg you to eep in mind about my O.C., I find it nigh impossible to write a non-MarySue vampire that is older than eighty years. It is hard to write a vampire that doesn't seem to be perfect, i.e. they now multiple languages, are stunningly beautiful, can play any instrument. Mina is certainly not perfect, but she is damn close simply through experiance. I hope this doesn't put people off and that you are willing to give her a chance. Now, on to the story!

* * *

In the thousands of years I have walked the earth, I have seen empires rise and fall, kings come to power and be cut down by those they trusted the most. I have seen great artists doubt themselves, and then produce unbelievable works of ageless beauty. I have heard such beautiful music as to make the very mountains weep. In my long life, I have had many companions, friends, advisors, and lovers, but of them all, only one ever truly touched my heart. He was a genius, an artist and inventor, the truest definition of a renaissance man as I have ever seen. He was full of passion and life, though he was feared and hated by any who caught a glimpse of him. He was also the only man who would ever have the ability to leave me brokenhearted.

But this story does not begin with him, though he is such an integral part of the tale. This tale must begin with an introduction. My name is Mina. I have been Mina since about the 1830's. Before that I had many names; Helen, Rosalyn, Anna, Cassandra, Persephone, and Nefiri to name a few. This tale begins in 1864, in the city of Paris.

I had arrived in Paris with my sire, Korfus. Korfus and I were traveling the world, he in boredom, I in avid curiosity, and we were walking side by side down a busy street. As we rounded a corner, I looked up and saw my destiny. The massive building was draped in statuary that instantly reminded me of the temples of my childhood, and I halted in my tracks to gaze in wonder at this architectural beauty. Korfus had continued to walk down the path, but paused when he realized I had not followed him. He turned back to look up at the building with me.

"The Opera Populair. A fine building, don't you think?" he asked absently. I smiled slightly, feeling the mysterious tug from the building.

"A home of music and dance; an artist's paradise. I can feel the call." I replied. Korfus sighed. In all the centuries we had traveled together, Korfus had always indulged me my feelings. For a supernatural being, he didn't put much stock into the mystical world. I, on the other hand, had been raised with a healthy appreciation for the supernatural world, which only grew when I joined it.

"Do you wish to join the dancers, or the singers?" Korfus asked. I shook my head. As a dancer or even a singer, I would only be able to stay for a few short years before my unearthly grace and immortal beauty would be questioned.

"No, I would rather work behind the scenes. Perhaps as a healer?" I suggested. Korfus scoffed and turned to face me.

"I can arrange this, but you will be here alone. Do you understand this?" he asked, turning to me seriously. I nodded solemnly.

"This is something I must do on my own." I replied. During the Inquisition, our kind had decided that only one small clan could occupy a territory. Despite the Church's waning power, we were still careful.

"That's my girl. I will make the arrangements. You should find somewhere to keep most of your things. As a healer, you will not have room for some of the finer things you possess." he teased. Over the course of thirty-seven centuries, I had amassed quite the collection of artifacts. Most were hidden in burial chambers throughout the world, but there were a few things I always kept close by. While they were not overly large, they were definitely not the kinds of items a healer would have. Korfus and I parted, he to coerce the manager of the opera house to hire me, and I to put my things into hiding and prepare for my new life.

Before I continue my tale I should probably explain a few things to you, my readers. I am a vampire, but we are nothing like those mindless monsters in folk tales, nor are we ravenous sirens like some of the more modern tales say. Yes, we drink blood to survive, but no, we do not have to kill our food. Some vampires call the humans they regularly feed from donors, and I shall refer to them as such from here. We do not burn to ash at the touch of the sun's rays, indeed I enjoy walking through a park on a spring afternoon. We do not require sleep, but we do sleep at times, simply to dream. If we are badly injured, we will have to feed soon after, or we fall into what is known as the Sleep of the Dead. It is a way for our bodies to heal when we cannot feed. Some vampires can willingly enter the Sleep to jump through the years. Also, we can see our reflections in a mirror.

I was sitting at my little vanity brushing my hair when Korfus appeared in the doorway. I set the ornate silver brush down and turned to face him, my dark chocolate hair sliding over my arms as I did.

"You will start in three days. They know you as Mina Deveraux, the daughter of a Persian herbalist and a French explorer. I told them you were twenty-two, but that you had been training since you were eight. I will stay until you are settled in, and then I will leave Paris. You will have no more than fifteen years here before people start asking questions, perhaps longer if you wear a veil the first few years. Pretend you are simply used to your homelands traditions." he said. I stood and went into his arms, letting him hold me.

"I will miss you, but I feel this is where I need to be." I murmured. Korfus placed a paternal kiss to my forehead.

"I may not understand these spirits that whisper to you, but I understand. I will miss you as well." he said, holding me tightly.

* * *

Three days later, I had just put up my trunk in my new rooms when someone knocked on my door. I reached up to check that my headscarf was wrapped around my hair and covered the lower half of my face, revealing only my indigo eyes and tan skin. I opened the door and came face to face with a serious faced woman with light blue eyes and graying blond hair pulled back into a tight braid. She wore a simple black dress with no corset or petticoat, and carried a walking stick.

"I am the ballet mistress. You may call me Madame Giry. You are the new healer?" she asked. I placed my palms together before me and bowed slightly to her.

"I am honored to meet you Madame. Is there anything I can help you with?" I asked in return.

"One of my girls is abed with a fever and stomach pains. Will you come to see her?" she asked. I swiftly picked up my little bag and followed the ballet mistress to the dormitories where the girl in question was lying, surrounded by several other girls. One of them had a damp cloth and was wiping the girl's face. I came forward and laid the back of my hand to her feverish brow, only to pull back quickly.

"How long has her fever been this high?" I asked, opening my bag.

"Only today, Mademoiselle. Yesterday she was simply tired." one of the girls replied. I drew out a jar and opened it, releasing the strong odor of the poultice inside. The smell was enough to draw the girl from her sleep, and she opened her brown eyes to look up at me.

"Be at ease, child. I will care for you. Where is the pain?" I asked her gently. She wearily lifted one hand and laid it over her lower abdomen. I looked up at the girls surrounding us. Madame Giry caught on quickly and clapped her hands.

"Alright girls, we must give Mademoiselle Deveraux some privacy to take care of Annette. Back to rehearsals." she said. None of the girls dared to protest, and they hurried to obey their instructor. Once the room was cleared, I turned back to Annette.

"Annette, I must ask you something, and I do not mean to embarrass you, but when were your last courses?" I asked. Her eyes widened with fright, and I grabbed her arms gently to keep her in bed.

"It's alright, little one, I am not here to judge you for anything. Now, how long has it been?" I asked again. Annette slumped into her bed in defeat.

"Two months. I didn't want to let him, but he was so strong." she said hoarsely, tears streaking down her face. Cold fury washed through me at her words, but I held my emotions in check. I pulled the blanket down and gently felt along her belly. After my examination, I looked back up at Annette sadly.

"You are losing the child, Annette. The only thing I can do is ease the pain for you. Who did this to you?" I asked. She began to shake her head.

"I promised I wouldn't tell. He'll kill me." she whimpered. I drew a small bottle from my bag and bade her take a sip.

This will ease the pain and help you to sleep. I will take care of you, and I will make sure this does not happen again." I said, my voice at hypnotic levels. Within a few moments, I had procured the name of Annette's attacker, and she had drifted off to sleep. I closed my bag and returned to my rooms to plot against this kitchen boy who thought he could use that poor girl for his own desires. Little did the boy now, his days were numbered.

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A/N: Okay, first chapter up! Please tell me what you think, I live for reviews!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Second chapter up! These chapters are going to be a lot shorter than my usual stories, but that is mainly because I have the whole story finished. As with all my stories, I am only borrowing the recognizable characters. I will return them unharmed when I am finished.

* * *

Dealing with the kitchen boy turned out to be easier than I thought. Every night, he left the opera house and headed down the back alley to a nearby opium den. It was an easy thing to catch him in the shadows and snap his neck. The authorities who found him the next morning found a few pieces of silver filched from the Prima Donna's rooms, and it was written off as a thief killing another thief. Over the next few months, I settled into an easy routine of treating simple injuries and ailments, and the ballet rats took a swift liking to me after my tender care of Annette. Madam Giry as well, would often greet me warmly when we passed in the halls. Madame had a daughter, Meg, in the corps de ballet, as well as a second adopted daughter, Christine Daaee. Meg had blond hair and blue eyes like her mother, while Christine had silky brown hair and soft grey eyes. For such a beauty, Christine was terribly naïve, and I began to subtly follow her as she moved about the opera house to ensure her safety. It was during one of these shadow games that I had my first semi-encounter with the infamous Opera Ghost.

I was told of the sinister Opera Ghost my first week in the opera house. I knew he flitted from shadow to shadow, sending the manager mysterious notes and causing problems all over the opera house if his demands were not met. I had never encountered this so-called ghost, but as a healer, I hardly expected to. His rampages were limited to the costume department and the props. That particular day, I was following Christine through the hallways when she slipped into the chapel. It was getting late in the evening, so I used my supernatural speed and slipped through the door before she could close it, flinging myself up into the shadowy rafters above the small altar. I settled into a dark corner and stopped breathing, so she would have no indication that I was there. After a few moments, Christine knelt before the altar and turned her eyes up to where I was hidden.

"Angel, are you here? Angel, I await your lesson." she called softly. I heard the slight shift of a hidden door, and a shadow moved in the corner.

"I am here. You have been practicing?" a voice asked from the shadows. My eyes slid shut as that velvet voice slid over me in a sensual caress. I stayed in the rafters during Christine's music lesson, and was surprised at her talent. The Opera Ghost must have been training her since she had arrived at the opera house. When the lesson ended, I waited until both the ghost and the girl had left before I dared to move from my hiding spot. I slipped out the door of the chapel and returned to my rooms, where I picked up my hairbrush and began to run it through the kinks in my hair. I always kept it bound tightly against my head under my headscarf when I worked, and thought I would stop wearing it after a year or two. As I ran the brush through my hair, I began to hum to myself, and slowly to sing, an old Persian song I had learned long ago. I fell into a trance as I continued to brush out my long hair, and was only vaguely aware of the sense I was being watched. I did not feel any danger, so I did not react to this presence, assuming that the ghost had simply heard my singing and was curious. After a time, the presence faded, and I settled down for the remainder of the night, comfortable in my life, but still a little curious about this mysterious opera ghost. And there is nothing more dangerous to a vampire's security, than idle vampire curiosity.

* * *

Time moves differently for a vampire. Days and weeks are gone in a heartbeat, and years can pass before you realize they have left. Almost before I noticed, four years had passed, and I had been ingrained into the world of the opera house. I had finally begun to go without my headscarf and veil, also wearing simple dark gowns like Madame Giry. I had developed a fondness for several of the ballet rats, and young Annette had taken a particular liking to me. She would often bring messages from other members of the opera house, and she was often the one who brought me the summons from the managers. I slowly grew weary of constantly handing out hangover cures, but it was the more innocent of the opera house that made my work satisfying.

One day, as I was walking back to my rooms after returning from a visit to one of my regular donors, Annette bounded up to me, a thick envelope in her hand.

"Mademoiselle Mina, this letter came for you today. Also, Carlotta is shrieking again, so brace yourself." she said. I chuckled and gently ruffled the girl's loose bun as I took my letter.

"Thank you, little one. Now you should get back to your rehearsals before Madame gets upset." I said. Annette giggled and danced down the hallway, while I retreated to my rooms to read my letter. I often received letters from Korfus, as well as a few other vampires I had met over the centuries. Korfus always wrote his missives in Greek, so as to hide their contents from the average thief.

_Dearest Mina,_

_I hope this letter finds you well, and that things are still normal in the opera house. I recently encountered an old friend of ours, Theonis, do you remember him? We met him at the court of Leonidus when the Spartan Queen revealed the traitor and ordered the armies to Thermopolis. It turns out that he was turned by another of our kind who has since passed on from this world. He asked after you, and sends his regards. He is traveling with a young one, an American girl by the name of Jessie. She is very sweet, and reminds me of you when you were as young. Theonis has promised to call on you if he and Jessie ever end up in Paris, but for the moment they are making their way east, to the court of the Jade Emperor. Jessie's mother was Chinese, but the girl was raised in an orphanage in San Francisco. She has a desire to understand her human heritage, and Theonis is completely besotted with the dear girl. I am also saddened to inform you that our old friend, Kieran, has passed. He was cornered by hunters from the Church in Hungary, and burned to death. His sire is beside herself with grief, and has taken up residence in Vlad's old castle in the Carpathians. Speaking of Vlad, I have heard a rumor that an Irishman is attempting to write a novel about our old compatriot. No doubt he will latch onto the bloodthirsty aspects of Vlad's mortal life, and completely skew the truth, but most stories do. I am currently in India, the honored guest of a rajah here, but I begin to grow homesick. I am giving thought to returning home to Cairo. The city is now part of the British Empire, but there are districts that are purely Arab. I might reside there. I promise to write you again before I make any decisions. Before I close this letter, I will address the so-called 'ghost' you mentioned in your last letter. I agree with you that he is likely no spirit, but at the same time, I doubt he is one of us. I had no sense that there was another of our kind in the opera house while I was there. He is likely only a man who has been trained in shadow arts. Still, I urge you to be cautious. This man has been in the opera house longer than you, and likely trades in secrets. You must not allow him to uncover a single clue about your own secret. I look forward to your next letter, and long for the day I will see you again, my daughter._

_My heart, my life,_

_Korfus_

I sighed as I laid the letter down. Korfus was right of course, and for the most part I had pushed the ghost out of my mind. And yet, he still managed to cross my path on occasion. I would be walking down the hallways and feel someone watching me, or I would enter a storage room just in time to see a wall slide shut. The rumors called the ghost a malevolent spirit who made outrageous demands to the managers, and often criticized the performers. Over the years, I had decided that this ghost was infinitely more intelligent than the cheerful Monsieur Lefarve, and I often watched with amusement as his little pranks caused chaos. I only ever became annoyed with him when someone became injured and I had to tend to them. During these instances, I would mutter Persian curses about him under my breath, and as a result, I gained a reputation of being fearless in the face of the dreaded opera ghost. I was just about to put pen to paper and write a reply to my sire when someone began to pound on the door. I sighed and went to the door. One of the kitchen workers was standing there, a worried expression on his face.

"Please come quickly, Maria has collapsed! Alec is screaming about demons possessing his wife!" the boy exclaimed. I turned and grabbed my bag before racing out the door, hot on the boy's heels. In my haste to leave, I did not notice that I had left my letter on my table, next to the large mirror hanging on the wall. I gave no thought to the letter until much later that night, when I finally returned to my rooms after treating Maria for what turned out to be an allergy to Carlotta's new perfume. I dropped my bag on its table and turned to the mirror to find a small note with a red skull wax seal lying atop Korfus' letter. I swiftly broke the seal and opened it to read the message, written in flawless Greek.

_What secrets do you keep in my opera house, Mademoiselle?_

My blood ran cold as I read the note, and suddenly sensed I was not alone. I listened closely and could hear the soft heartbeat coming from behind the mirror. I looked into my reflection, still grasping the note.

"I would prefer if you respected my privacy. I do not appreciate you reading my letters." I snapped. His reply echoed around me, and it was only my centuries of control that kept me from showing my reaction to his voice. I had likened it to velvet before, but now it seemed a combination of silk and ice on heated skin.

"You are a valued member of my opera house. Many of the workers claim you do not fear me. That you curse me under your breath as you treat the fools who are stupid enough to get hurt." he said.

"I only curse you when your foolish pranks cause them to be hurt. You are careless, and one of these days, you will hurt someone you shouldn't, and the workers will rise up and hunt you down. Fear of something only works as long as they don't realize they outnumber you four hundred to one." I said, crossing my arms over my chest. There was silence for a moment, and I sensed movement behind me. A hand gently closed around my throat from behind, and I felt solid muscle against my back.

Now I may be an immortal blood drinker, but I am still female, and it had been quite some time since I had taken a lover. Naturally, my body reacted to this stimulus, and I jumped slightly in his grip. The ghost seemed to take this as fear, and he leaned close to whisper in my ear.

"Ah, so I see you are not as fearless as you claim." he breathed, sending delightful shivers down my spine. I pressed against the body behind me instinctively.

"You dance with fire, Monsieur. Careful or you may get burned." I whispered huskily. He sucked in a sharp breath of air, and the hand around my throat was suddenly gone.

"I had heard the tales of Persian woman, but I never would have suspected it of you." he said as I turned around. He was standing in the shadows, but I could still make out the general contours of his body.

"I have been many things in my life, though few have dared imply what you have and lived much longer." I said, reaching for the lamp. A hand encased in a leather glove gripped my wrist just before I touched the little handle. I looked up sharply and laid eyes on the opera ghost for the first time. His eyes were a burning emerald, and his features were aristocratic where I could see them. The right side of his face, from hairline to just above his lip, and from nose to ear, was covered by a white fitted mask of leather. His full mouth was set in a frown, and I straightened, his hand still on my wrist.

"I did not imply you were a harlot, it is your own fault if you inferred such a thing." he said. I laughed slightly at his words.

"You most certainly implied it, but I do not truly take offense. In truth I have spent time in a harem, albeit briefly. I dislike cages, even gilded ones." I replied, sitting down on my bed. He was still gripping my wrist, and was pulled down with me. He turned gracefully and sat down next to me, curiosity burning in his eyes.

"Why do you not fear me?" he asked. I smiled softly.

"I have known for some time that you are no spirit, and you have never offered me any harm, so why should I? Perhaps a compromise can be reached. I will tell no one about you, if you will stop reading my letters." I said. Puzzlement flooded those beautiful eyes, and on impulse, I reached up and laid one hand gently against his left cheek.

"I see much pain hidden in your eyes, my friend. Perhaps you are as alone as I am in this city." I said softly. His hand shot up to grab mine, and I caught the flash of fear as he wrenched my fingers away from his face. He stood swiftly, and vanished through his hidden door. I stood quickly and looked around, trying to pinpoint the dim heartbeat, but he was already gone. I sighed as I sat back down.

"Korfus is going to kill me." I muttered.

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A/N: I hope you like this so far! Next chapter soon!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Thrid chapter here! From now on, there will be plenty of Erik, as their friendship develops. Also, Mina is writing this in the modern era, looking back on her timne in the Opera House. I say this because some modern day slang might slip through in the narrative. Hope that doesn't upset anyone.

* * *

Three months passed, and the annual Masquerade Ball arrived. It was the first year that Madame Giry would allow young Meg and Christine to attend, and the pair was fairly giddy with excitement. The girls had begged and cajoled me into attending with them, and so I had gone out and selected a costume of an Indian princess, remembering Korfus' letter. I also helped the two young ladies with their costumes, and when Madame Giry protested, I said that girls need at least one fine costume in their lives and really it was no trouble for me to help them. The two girls wore more sedate outfits, Meg a gown of dove grey and Christine a sapphire blue, along with simple masks of pure white for Christine, and deepest black for Meg. My own mask was blood red, to compliment the red of my outfit. It was an elaborate sari, red with heavy gold embroidery, and I had brushed out my hair so it rippled down my back.

The ball was delightful, though most of my dance partners were rather boring. I moved about the room with my full unearthly grace, catching the eyes of many of the nobles. I did this knowing I had no intention of being at the midnight reveal, so I enjoyed flaunting my inhuman characteristics just a bit. At one point while I was dancing with a rather uncouth nobleman who was continually trying to put his hands where they were not welcome, when I was suddenly swept up by a new partner. His outfit was a finely made tuxedo, and his mask was of a design I had seen in Venice in the 1500's, covering all of his face except for his generous mouth. I smiled warmly as my new partner moved me across the floor with grace and talent to rival my own.

"Thank you, Monsieur. That fool was getting on my nerves." I said pleasantly. My partner mere smiled as he moved me across the floor with the gentlest pressure on the small of my back to tell me where we would be moving. As we moved about the floor, I felt the eyes of many of the other dancers on us, and idly wondered how we looked to them. At one point in the dance, he pulled me just a bit closer than was proper, and I felt a rush of excitement down my spine. My partner smirked as he felt my tremors, and ended the dance with the two of us standing near a pedestal. I dipped into a low curtsey as my partner brought my hand to his lips, lingering a bit longer than propriety allowed.

"Thank you for the dance, mon ami." he said softly, that sinful voice curling down my spine. My eyes widened in surprise, but he stepped behind the pillar and vanished before I could say a word. The bells began to sound the hour, and I realized why he had fled. I swiftly hefted my skirts and ducked down a hallway before the reveal could begin, heading swiftly for my rooms. When I arrived, I shut the door behind me and pulled my mask off, a dazed smile on my face. Looking back, I believe it was that night that I began to fall in love with him.

* * *

Over the next year, the Opera Ghost and I played a sort of tag. I would be walking down the hallway when something in the shadows would tug at my skirts, or ruffle my hair. I would slip into the storerooms at night and leave riddles in foreign languages where he was sure to find them, knowing he would puzzle over them until he had solved the riddle, and he would leave his answers in my rooms, always in the same language as the riddle. Through all this time, we had never exchanged names, or even spoke to one another. I would feel him hiding behind my walls when I would sing late at night in my rooms, or when I told ancient legends to the ballet rats. At the same time, young Meg and Christine were quickly blossoming into beautiful young women. I was ever mindful of the lecherous gaze of the stagehands, and it took more than a few threats of poison and castration to keep them away from the girls. There was one stagehand, a burly drunk of a pig named Joseph Bouquet, who was seemingly unaffected by my threats. One day in late summer, he appeared around a corner as I made my way back to my rooms after administering another herbal tonic to the insufferable Carlotta. His hand latched tightly around my throat as he pressed me back into the wall. Despite not needing air, I gasped and clawed at his hand, playing at fear.

"You should hold your tongue, witch. Your concern should be with your own safety, instead of the little flowers you watch over so carefully." he growled in my ear, his disgusting breath making me gag. I glared up at him with pure loathing in my eyes.

"I would not make idle threats if I were you. It can be very hazardous to your health." I hissed, my mouth opened slightly to reveal a hint of my fangs. Bouquet's eyes widened just as a rope sailed over his head and yanked him back, freeing me from his grip. I sucked in a deep breath of air and sagged against the wall, watching with mild disinterest as Bouquet gagged under the rope.

"I should kill you for this transgression, Monsieur Bouquet. After all, I have killed for far less. However, I shall leave your fate in the hands of our lovely healer." the ghost's voice slid along my spine, and my eyes slid shut as it curled around me. I sighed with affected boredom.

"It would be much simpler to just kill him. However, that would mean he would not learn." I replied lazily. The rope loosened, and Bouquet fell to the ground, gasping and heaving. I pushed off the wall and crouched down so that I was eye level with him, and spoke in a semi-hypnotic, icy cold voice.

"Let this be a lesson to you, Joseph Bouquet, that the women of this opera house are not your playthings. And should you tell anyone about what happened here, you will regret it." I said, before standing and planting my dainty foot against his backside, sending him stumbling to his feet and fleeing as if the devil himself stood in the hallway. I turned to the shadows and was suddenly inches from the opera ghost. He gently grasped my chin and tilted it up, giving him a clear view of my unmarred throat.

"You should have let me kill him." he said hoarsely, anger in his eyes, but also something else, so hidden that I barely saw it.

"He has learned his lesson, and perhaps now he will fear you more, knowing that I will be watching him as well." I replied, gazing into those deep green eyes. He met my gaze and smiled widely.

"You are a fantastic actress, Mademoiselle." he said. I grinned in reply, being careful to hide my fangs.

"After all this time, I think it is alright for you to call me Mina." I said, my grin softening. He took my hand and bowed over it, his lips brushing against my skin.

"Then I permit you to call me Erik." he replied. My heart gave a little jump as I heard his name.

"I thank you for my rescue, Erik." I said, practically purring his name. His eyes darkened slightly, and he was suddenly gone, moments before a trio of ballet rats appeared around the corner. I smiled politely to them and made my way back to my room, a silly little smile on my face. When I reached my room, I pulled a fresh sheet of paper out of my desk, and a fresh inkpot. Dipping a quill into the ink, I began to write a letter to Korfus in Greek.

_My dear Korfus,_

_I hope that this letter finds you well and settling into your new home in Cairo. Things here in Paris are mostly the same, but I do have some news about the opera ghost. Ever since the last Masquerade, he and I have been engaging in something of an intellectual game of tag. I have found him to be quite intelligent; though I had guessed as much from the wonderful advice he has given the opera house over the years. Today, I have finally learned his name. It is Erik. I am still not certain if he wears the mask to disguise his features, or to hide a disfigurement of some kind. For not being one of us, he certainly behaves like us. He is intelligent and handsome, and discreet. Never has he asked how I know so many languages or why I do not fear the 'stronger' stagehands. Before you begin to worry, he does not suspect my secret, nor has he asked anything close to a suspicious question. I am being very careful, I promise. I have yet to hear from Theonis or his young love, Jessie. Do you have any idea when they were heading for Paris? If I know ahead of time, I can make arrangements for a flat for them to stay. This city is vast, and two more of our kind will not be noticed. I am eager to hear about how much your homeland has changed since we last walked her sands._

_My life, my history,_

_Mina_

I swiftly sealed the letter, and donned my cloak, heading swiftly out the door to send my missive. While I was out, I visited an artist I knew who enjoyed his absinthe, and always allowed me to indulge myself of him when he was under its influences. He half believed I was a figment of his delusions. When I returned to my rooms, I was still spinning from the absinthe that burned through my blood. I danced about my room before collapsing on my bed with a sigh. Distantly, I became aware of a presence behind me, and swiveled my head to smile drunkenly at the shadows.

"Good evening, Erik." I purred. He stepped from the shadows and sat down next to me.

"You are drunk." he stated, mild surprise on his face. I giggled and stretched back so that I was lying across my bed, with my arms over my head and touching the floor on the opposite side.

"I am not drunk. I am just….enjoying a bit of absinthe." I replied. Erik smiled down at me, a true smile, and I felt warmth spread through me.

"Absinthe can still make you drunk." he countered, still smiling down at me, amusement plain in his eyes. I sat up languidly and brushed my fingers along his hairline.

"You should smile like that more often. It makes you look even more handsome." I murmured. He reached up and captured my wrist, his eyes boring into me.

"You are so very dangerous, Mina. You draw me in, no matter how I try to resist." he breathed. I leaned closer, my eyes heavy lidded.

"Then why resist?" I purred, as he captured my other wrist. His eyes had darkened to nearly black as he drew closer to me.

"You have so many secrets. Who knows how many are hidden behind that unearthly grace?" he whispered against my ear, sending delightful shivers down my spine. But his words burned through the pleasant haze of the absinthe, and I felt mild worry.

"We all have secrets. Who knows how many other girls you have secretly given voice lessons to?" I replied. Erik's grip tightened on my wrists, and his eyes grew cold.

"You should not stick your nose where it is not welcome." he hissed. I wrenched my wrists free of his grip and stood, the haze now burned away by irritation.

"Why should it matter that I know you are teaching Christine to sing? I think it is a good thing. She will make a far better lead soprano that that shrieking harridan, Carlotta." I snapped. My comment brought a grin to Erik's face, and I felt my anger begin to dissolve.

"That was my plan from the beginning. That Christine believed I was her Angel of Music only helped." he said. I shrugged and sat back down.

"Then I will say no more on the matter." I acquiesced. Erik smiled again and stood up.

"I should go. The manager needs a few reminders about the upcoming opera." he said. He leaned down and brushed his lips across my cheek.

"I will try not to cause any injuries." he breathed against my skin, and he was gone. I let out a shaky breath and lay back, closing my eyes to enjoy the lingering scent of him in my room.

* * *

Over the following months, Erik and I continued our little games, and I became quite accustomed to feeling his presence nearby. Summer turned to fall, and then to winter. The icy cold was just beginning to subside when I received a letter from my old friend Theonis.

_Dear Persephone,_

_I pray this letter finds you happy in your current home. Korfus has extended your invitation to me and my darling Jessie and we have finally decided to travel to Paris. While Jessie is still very young, she has adapted to our way of life quite well, and is looking forward to meeting you. I estimate we will arrive in Paris around the beginning of March. I hope that is enough time for you to prepare for our arrival. I have enclosed a letter for the Parisian bank I use to allow you to withdraw funds to procure lodgings for us. Jessie says she does not require anything extravagant, but I would like you to find the finest flat you can. I am determined to give my beloved the kind of life she was once denied due to her heritage. I am also eager to see this opera house you have made your home, and to see a production there. Who knows, perhaps we will be lucky enough to spot your ghost. I would like to meet the gentleman who has drawn my dear friend's attentions, but I will of course understand if this is not possible. Until March,_

_I remain your loyal Guard,_

_Theonis_

I smiled widely at my dear friends words, and immediately made ready to go to his bank to begin the preparations for his arrival. I was curious to see this new vampire, Jessie, but I was not worried about her character. I trusted my former guard. When we met, he had been a mortal guard in the royal palace of Sparta, and had been assigned to me when I was visiting the court. I watched as Leonidus led his three hundred men to the Gates of Hell to hold off the Persian Invasion forces, and I was present when his queen revealed the traitor and called forth the armies to go to the aid of their king. When I left Sparta, he was still mortal, but he had obviously not remained so for long. I was just making my way to the door that led out of the opera house, when Madame Giry appeared before me.

"Mademoiselle, I have need of your help." she said, her face creased with worry.

"Of course." I replied, following as she went through the hallways into a little used storeroom. I don't think I had ever been in it before, and when I saw why I was there, I gasped and flew to Erik's side. Part of the floor had given out beneath his feet, and he was trapped in the hole.

"I cannot pull him out alone, but he says you can be trusted." she said. I looked up at her and nodded quickly.

"You take that arm, I will take this one. We pull him out on three." I said. Madame obediently hooked her arms around Erik's, while I did the same on the other side. On three, we pulled Erik out of the hole and laid him out on the ground, where I began to inspect his legs and his stomach for any wounds. There was a rather large gash in his left leg, and my throat burned at the scent of the blood. I looked up at Madame Giry.

"I have a needle and thread." she said, producing said items. I accepted them from her hands.

"I also need some water and clean rags." I said, and she immediately left to fetch them. I turned to back to Erik, who was slightly pale from the pain.

"Do you feel pain anywhere besides your leg?" I asked.

"No, mon ami. Just sore where I landed." he replied. I leaned down and ripped his trouser leg open a little more.

"I'm sorry, but I have nothing to give you for the pain." I said, threading the needle. He shook his head.

"I will be alright." he breathed, closing his eyes and gritting his teeth. I leaned over his leg and subtly pricked my finger, letting a few drops of blood fall on the edges of the wound to close most of it. I swiftly stitched the remaining wound closed, and looked up to find Erik's eyes watching me. He reached down and lifted my hand to reveal the small blood smear on my finger.

"You've hurt yourself." he said quietly. I smiled slightly.

"It's fine. I'm a quick healer." I replied. He did not reply, but brought my finger to his lips and gently kissed the bloodstained tip, keeping his eyes on me the entire time. At that moment, Madame Giry reappeared with the water and bandages. I quickly cleaned and bandaged the wound, before helping him to stand.

"You should be fine in a few days. Change the dressing regularly to prevent infection, and try to keep the sight dry. Come see me in a week, and I will remove the stitches." I said, in my most professional voice. Erik bowed his head to me, and vanished into the shadows. I looked over at Madame Giry, who was hiding a smile.

"Thank you for your help, Mina." she said. I smiled at her as I re-pinned my cloak around my neck.

"It was my pleasure. If anything happened to him, I suspect this place would go up in flames."

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A/N: Just wanted to leave you with a bit of foreshadowing here! I almost never get to do that. Onwards!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Okay this is the last chapter I will post today, but I will put a few more up tomorrow. Here we are introduced to two new vampires, and get to see how Mina interacts with her own kind. We also move into the begining of the actual movie. Enjoy!

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March had brought with it more pleasant weather, and I waited patiently at the train station for Theonis and Jessie. I tried to recall Theonis, but my memories were faded with time. I could only recall sandy hair and well formed muscles, as the Spartans wore rather revealing armor. Finally, the train pulled into the station and I began to look for my friends. A couple walked by and I turned to catch sight of their faces. The pair was elderly, and so I turned back to the train. It was then I saw the couple I was waiting for. Theonis did not look much older than he had when I had last seen him, though his sandy brown hair was a bit longer, tied back at the nape of his neck. He had his arm around a pixyish woman with slightly Asian features and raven hair piled stylishly on her head. She wore a crimson traveling dress and was holding onto Theonis for dear life. I smiled widely and waved to my friend. I wore a simple day dress of light blue, and my hair was in a simple twist. Theonis caught sight of me and pulled his companion in my direction. I threw my arms around him with a joyful laugh.

"Look at you! You have hardly changed." I said. Theonis laughed happily as he released me.

"And of course you have not changed a bit. May I introduce Jessie, my beloved. We have been together for about forty years now." he said. I happily offered the young lady my hand.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Jessie. My name is Mina now, as this lout seems to have forgotten." I said. Jessie smiled shyly as she took my hand.

"It is very nice to meet you, Mina. Theo has told me quite a bit about your time in Sparta, and Korfus told me a little more when we encountered him in India." Jessie said. Her accent was American, with just a hint of Mandarin from their time in China. I smiled and urged the couple to follow me as I led them through the streets of Paris to their new apartment, and we chatted along the way. When we arrived at their flat, Jessie was taken aback at the luxury. It turned out that Jessie's entry into our world was not willing. She had been attacked by a vampire that did not care whether his donors lived or died. Theonis had tracked down the vampire too late to save Jessie from the attack, but he was able to save her from death. The pair had been together ever since.

"When will the next opera be?" Jessie asked after a few hours. I glanced over and thought about it.

"Dress rehearsals start in a few days, so next week. I can procure seats if you like." I offered.

"Don't be absurd, 'Seph. I will obtain a box for the season, and you will of course join us." Theonis said, using the nickname he had once given me. I smiled saucily at him and laughed.

"Alright, I know better than to resist when you tell me something." I teased. Jessie looked from Theonis to me, a puzzled expression on her face.

"When Mina was a guest in Leonidus' court, I was her personal guard. Mina was insistent that she investigate the traitor, and I had to be rather….persuasive." Theonis admitted. Jessie scowled as she made the connection.

"Don't worry Jessie. It was one night millennia ago. I have no romantic interest in dear Theonis." I said, effectively easing her nerves.

"Then I will make the arrangements for a box, and we will see you on opening night." Theonis said as I stood up.

"I do have to go. My services will surely soon be needed at the opera house." I said, embracing Jessie, and then Theonis.

"Next time we should talk about your ghost." Theonis whispered in my ear before I left.

I stood in the wings as the final dress rehearsal for Hannibal began. Christine and Meg were both in the chorus, and today we were to meet the new managers. I had also heard that we had obtained a new patron, so today I was again wearing my traditional clothes, light robes of midnight blue, and a headscarf and veil. Madame Giry spotted me and came closer.

"What's wrong Mina? You haven't worn your veil in almost five years." she asked. I smiled slightly behind the silk.

"We are meeting a new patron today, and after the fiasco with the last one, I am not taking any chances." I replied. I had met the last patron shortly after I had started to go without my headscarf, and he had assumed I was available for the men to take liberties with. Needless to say, the encounter did not go over well. Madame smiled in amusement and nodded before she returned to the rehearsals. Before long, Monsieur Lefarve breezed onstage followed by three men, two middle aged gentlemen, and one younger man dressed in fine clothes, his demeanor screaming wealth. Lefarve introduced the new managers and the Vicompt DeChangy, our new patron. Thankfully for me, he looked far too young to take a lustful interest in any of the girls. I was just about to walk away when Carlotta shoved me aside in her bid to greet the new patron. My lip curled beneath my veil at the odor of her perfume. I watched with barely concealed loathing as she simpered before the patron. I watched as the managers talked Carlotta into performing the aria for the new patron and I cringed. Carlotta was well past her prime, and her voice was grating to human ears, and even worse to my enhanced senses. Mercifully, her performance was cut short by a falling backdrop. I smirked behind my veil as I caught sight of Erik moving away in the flies. Onstage, Carlotta was shrieking in outrage, and soon stormed off. I turned back to the stage just as the ballet mistress brought Christine forward to sing for the managers and the new patron. Like the rest of those onstage, I was amazed by the beautiful music that surrounded us as she sang the same aria that Carlotta had so recently butchered. Her pure, sweet voice rose over the empty theatre like chimes, impressing and amazing all assembled. I looked up toward Box 5, Erik's normal seat, and felt dread well up in my stomach. He was there, watching his pupil perform for the first time, but the look in his eyes was not that of a proud teacher. It was a look I had seen before, on covetous kings and emperors, a look that was the doom of countless dynasties. I left the wings and made my way to my rooms, where I went straight to the large mirror and began feeling around the edges for the hidden catch. I was still looking for it when the mirror suddenly slid open, revealing a grinning Erik. Seeing him smile at me like that made my heart skip a beat, but I was quickly reminded why he was so happy.

"Did you hear her, Mina? Her voice was made to be heard in the opera house! I have finally gotten rid of Carlotta!" he said, stepping into my rooms and pulling me into an impromptu dance. I went along for a few steps, but then I gently pulled away.

"Erik, we need to talk. I saw the way you were looking at Christine today and I beg you, whatever you are planning for her, please don't do it. Greater men than you have fallen because of such desires." I said. Erik's eyes grew cold with anger. And he grabbed my arms.

"You know nothing! What I plan for Christine is none of your concern, Mademoiselle." he spat. His words pierced my heart as surely as any blade, and I found myself fighting back tears. You see, one of the tell tale marks of a vampire is that we weep blood. Erik must have recognized the pain on my face, for he released my arms. I stepped back quickly, gazing sadly at my dear friend, carefully memorizing every detail I could about him.

"I see. Then I will keep myself out of your affairs from now on." I said softly, turning and fleeing my rooms. I left the opera house and wandered the darkening streets of Paris, finally letting my tears fall as I stood in the shadows of the great Notre Dame. I do not know how long I stood there; letting my bloody tears soak into the neckline of my dress, but eventually someone appeared and held out a linen handkerchief. I looked up to see Jessie gazing at me with sympathetic eyes. I carefully dried my tears while she leaned against the wall behind me, patiently letting me collect myself.

"When I was a little girl, I was constantly tormented by the other children at the workhouse because of my skin and my eyes, and anything else they thought was different. There was this one little boy who always stood up for me. He was my friend when no one else would give me the time of day. When we grew up, I began to attract the attention of men with exotic tastes, and my friend tried to warn me about them, but I did not listen. I thought he was jealous of my good fortune. It wasn't until later, after I had been saved by Theonis, that I learned that my childhood friend had loved me, and was trying to protect me like always. I tracked him down, years later. He had a family of his own, even a daughter named Jessie. I came to him in the night, and he thought me a dream. I told him how sorry I was for not listening to him, and he asked if the Greek man had found me in time. It turns out that he had been the one to tell Theo how to find me. I told my friend he had, and I was happy. He smiled then and said he was happy as well. He told me that we both had our own paths to follow, and he wished me well on mine. Sometimes, all that is required for friends to reconcile is a bit of time." she said, gazing up at the moon. I looked over at her and smiled ruefully.

"Am I that obvious?" I asked with a chuckle. She grinned slightly and pushed off the wall.

"There are few things that could bring a formidable woman like you to tears. I simply guessed you had a fight with your ghost." she replied. I pushed off the wall as well, and we began to walk back to her flat.

"I tried to warn him of the danger of the path he was taking, and he said something that cut me deeply. He does not want to believe that he could be wrong. It doesn't help that it is such a rare thing to begin with! He is a gifted genius, and a master at the shadow arts, but I'm afraid he has a bit of an ego. Worse than that, I cannot explain to him how I know that his plans will lead to his ruin. He has no idea what I am." I said as we entered her flat. Theonis appeared from the study and frowned at me.

"Either you were terribly messy with your dinner, or you have been crying." he said. Jessie moved to his side and briefly explained the situation. I sat down on a velvet chaise lounge and leaned on the armrest. Theonis spoke softly to Jessie for a moment and she disappeared into the bedroom, while he came over to sit next to me.

"'Seph, are you in love with this ghost?" he asked gently. I looked up at him sharply, and my face must have said it all, for he smiled wryly at me.

"Why don't you tell him?" he asked simply. I sighed and looked away.

"He does not care for me. He desires Christine, though she would make a terrible match for him. She is young and naïve, to pure and innocent to handle the life he leads." I protested, standing swiftly and beginning to pace.

"And you are?" he asked mildly, simply watching me move about the room.

"As I have told Korfus, for a mortal, he certainly behaves like one of us. I truly think he would take to this life quite well, even considering…" I trailed off, his handsome face with its white half mask filling my mind.

"Considering what, 'Seph?" he asked. I turned to look at my old friend, sitting easily on the chaise in his fine suit, as comfortable in Victorian fashion as he was in his Spartan uniform so many centuries ago.

"He has a deformity on the right side of his face, or at least I think he does. He always wears a half mask, and I have never seen what lies beneath it. Indeed, it never seemed important." I confessed, wringing my hands. At that moment, Jessie reappeared, carrying a wine colored dress.

"This should fit you quite well, Mina. You wouldn't want any one at the opera house asking questions." she said, gesturing at the bloodstained neck of my gown. I smiled warmly at her and followed her to her changing rooms to put on the gown. She then saw me out, as I knew I would be needed soon at the opera house. When I reached my rooms, I found a long stemmed red rose lying on my table, with a note tied to the stem with a black ribbon. I moved closer and lifted the flower, smelling the blossom as I read the note.

_Forgive my harsh words my friend. I was wrong to accuse you of anything._

I sighed as I sat down on my bed, running through my options in my head. I could tell Erik the truth and have him either laugh in my face, or turn away in revulsion. I dismissed this idea, thinking it was pointless to try. I could leave Paris, and not return until well after Erik had…I felt my heart give a painful lurch at even a hint of the thought and refused the option. This left me with only one choice. I would stay and see how things turned out with Erik and the opera house's new lead soprano.

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A/N: I hope you like this so far. Next time, trouble will arise, and Erik will finally see Mina for what she is. Stay tuned!


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I own nothing recognizable. I would like to thank A-Creature-of-Darkness for being the first person to put my story on her alerts! It makes me very happy. Now, on with the tale!

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Hannibal was a great success, and it garnered Christine the attention of our new patron, who was also a childhood friend of the soprano, and infuriated Erik. When his new demands were ignored by the managers, I knew that terrible trouble was on the horizon. The next few weeks seemed to be gone almost before I could blink, and it was opening night for Il Muto. I turned down Theonis and Jessie's invitation to share their box in favor of hiding myself in the flies, some little voice whispering to me that I needed to be there. I was there when Erik projected his voice over the theatre, and I could see Theonis and Jessie in their box, impressed expressions on their faces. I smirked to myself as Carlotta began to croak like a toad onstage, leaving the performers to scramble as the managers finally acquiesced to Erik's demands. As I watched from my hiding spot, I saw Erik moving across the flies to a better vantage point. However, I was not the only one to spot the elusive ghost. Joseph Bouquet had also seen Erik, and launched himself at the ghost. I moved silently from my vantage point and waited until their tussling left Bouquet above Erik, and then I struck. I grabbed him by the back of his shirt and pulled him off Erik, wrenching his head back to bare his neck.

"I warned you, Monsieur." I hissed, before I drove my fangs into his neck. Thick, hot blood filled my mouth, and I drank until I felt the fight leave him. I pulled back and saw Erik staring at us, his mouth hanging open in shock.

"Give me the rope." I whispered sharply, and he seemed to snap out of his daze. He looped the rope around Bouquet's neck, and we tipped the pig over the side of the catwalk. Erik then pulled me into a hidden panel and led me through the winding labyrinth of tunnels to his lair. I made it three steps beyond the tunnels before I fell to my knees and heaved the vile, alcohol clogged blood, into the lake. When my stomach was finally empty, I stood up with a groan, wiping my mouth on the back of my sleeve. I turned back to see Erik standing by the entrance, watching me with an unreadable expression on his face.

"What I just saw, it is something I would never have believed possible." he said, his voice rough with shock. I laughed mirthlessly, the sound echoing in the cavern.

"Well it is, Erik. You know, I have been wondering how best to tell you the truth. I kept telling myself that you would never believe me, and how exactly could I prove it?" I said, turning to face him. He was frowning now, a look that always made me feel as if the sun had fled.

"I was called the Devil's Child as a boy, Mina. Dragged all over Europe by gypsies for entertainment. Do you really think I would not believe you? Tell me, what does this mean?" he demanded. I laughed again and turned to pace away from him.

"They called you the Devil's Child? Well they say I am His whore, an unholy demon sent to seduce honest men and feed on the blood of the innocent. You know what I am, Erik. Say it!" I cried, spinning to face him. Emerald eyes bored into me as he drew himself up.

"Vampire!"

* * *

I had thought the word would echo through the cavern where we stood, but it did not. As soon as the word left his lips, it seemed to die in the air, as if the cavern itself did not wish to accuse me. I felt my tears well up, and one slid down my face.

"Now you know. The next move is yours, my friend. I can leave Paris, and not return until well after your death, or I can go back to my rooms, and we can pretend this did not happen. What will you choose? Banish the monster, or ignore it forever?" I asked, my voice choked with pain. What happened next surprised me for the first time in nearly five hundred years. Erik crossed the space between us and crushed me in his embrace, holding me so tightly that had I been mortal, he would have broken my ribs.

"I cannot believe you to be a monster. You are far more benevolent than I could ever be. Please do not leave because of me." he begged. I closed my eyes and returned his embrace, wanting to live in that moment forever. Having him there felt so very right, that it took everything I had to draw back and look him in the eyes.

"I will stay. Thank you for your acceptance, my friend." I said, wavering slightly on my feet, causing Erik to grip me tighter.

"Are you alright?" he asked, worry in his eyes. I smiled up at him, beginning to feel the effects of the alcohol in me.

"Do you remember the day I came back to the opera house on absinthe?" I asked. He smiled down at me.

"I remember. That was the first night I admitted to myself how addictive you are." he said softly.

"Vampires can become intoxicated if we feed from someone who has been drinking or on some drug. It doesn't last long, but it can be powerful." I explained, still wavering on my feet. In a careful movement, Erik lifted me off my feet and carried me over to his bed, a beautiful carved affair with red velvet sheets. He gently laid me down on the thick mattress and brushed my hair back.

"Get some sleep, Mina. We can speak more when you awake." he said. I tried to protest, but I was feeling the effects of Bouquet's blood, both the alcohol and ridding myself of it. My eyes slid shut, and just before I drifted off into a dream world, I thought I felt the gentle brush of something on my lips.

When I next opened my eyes, I was still in the carved bed. I sat up slowly, feeling my head spin as I moved. I clutched at head with a groan, waiting for the spinning to cease. While it is incredibly rare for a vampire to get hung over, when it does happen it's a bitch until we can feed again. I looked up as I heard movement, and saw Erik standing from the massive organ set into a niche set back from the lake. His hair was mussed, and he wore only a white linen shirt halfway open to reveal part of his chest, black trousers and leather boots. His mask was still on his face, and there was something in his eyes that told me he had seen something while I was asleep that had pained him. I tilted my head quizzically at him.

"How did you get that organ down here?" I asked. He chuckled softly to himself and sat down next to me.

"Madame Giry helped me to get the pieces out of the storeroom when they replaced the organ, and I carried them down here and reassembled it. How are you feeling?" he asked. I groaned and let my head fall forward, forcing Erik to reach out and steady me when my poor balance nearly sent me head over heels onto the ground.

"I feel awful, but I'll be fine once I feed." I replied. Erik went very still, his arms still holding me up, and I glanced at his face with a gentle smile.

"Don't worry. I only feed on the willing, or murderers I hunt down in the alleys." I said to ease his worry. The tension left him swiftly, and he smiled slightly.

"I am glad to hear that." he said, but he seemed distracted. I shifted slightly and laid one hand against his mask to draw him to look at me.

"What's wrong, mon ami?" I asked gently. He looked over at me, pain in his eyes.

"Christine is allowing the Vicompt to court her. After everything I have done for her, she throws it away for a handsome face and a title." he seethed. I closed my eyes in pain at his words, for the first time truly seeing how obsessed he was.

"She is a child, Erik. This opera house is the only world she knows, and until recently, she had no idea that you were both her Angel and the Phantom. She is terribly confused." I said. Erik turned to glare at me, fire in his eyes.

"I have given her everything! I gave her the voice that brought her to fame, I gave her the lead of the opera, and she throws it back in my face." he roared. I stood carefully, giving him an ageless gaze, for the first time letting him see a hint of how old I truly was.

"This is an ancient tale, told time and again. I have seen this ending too many times, and I have no desire to see it again." I said wearily, before turning and walking out, feeling the first crack in my heart. I used my inhuman speed to reach my rooms before Erik could stop me. When I reached my rooms, I dragged the dresser across the mirror before I sank to my knees and burst into tears. I cried for a few moments before I moved to my trunk and drew a small portrait of myself and Korfus.

"Why didn't you ever warn me this could happen? Why didn't you warn me that I could lose my heart?" I sobbed to the portrait. After a few minutes, I stood and left the opera house to find one of my regular donors. I knew that staying here would only cause me more pain, so I made the difficult decision to leave the opera house.

* * *

Over the next few months, I slowly made the arrangements to leave Paris. Erik had receded to his lair, barely coming up to the opera house in that entire time. The Masquerade was coming up, and everyone was in a tizzy, thinking the ghost was finally gone. Three days before the Masquerade, I was lying in bed reading Othello by candlelight, wrapped in only a sheet. I reached for the wineglass on my bedside table when I heard a strangled gasp behind me. I looked over my shoulder and saw Erik standing in the corner. His eyes were locked on the bare skin of my upper back. I turned back to my wineglass.

"Good evening Erik. I haven't seen you around much." I said easily. I jumped slightly as I felt his bare fingers touching my skin.

"Your skin is so warm." he breathed, his fingers sliding up my spine and along the back of my neck. I had let my eyes slide closed as his fingers traveled along my skin, and now I laughed.

"What did you expect? The cold of the grave? I never said I died." I said, rolling to face him, holding the sheet to my breasts. I took his hand and pressed it to my chest, letting him feel my heartbeat. His eyes darkened slightly when I pressed his hand to my skin, and then widened as he felt the steady beat of my heart.

"Your heart!" he breathed, pressing his hand tighter against my skin.

"My sire turned me in order to save my life. I was dying of a terrible injury, and it was the only way to save me." I explained. Erik looked into my eyes then, and I was painfully aware that he was inches away from me, in a locked room with only his clothes and a sheet between us. After a moment, Erik looked down to where his fingers were trailing up to my neck and shoulder.

"I hear that you are planning to leave my opera house. Is it because of what you said that morning?" he asked softly. I sighed and looked away.

"I have stayed here too long. I think I will spend some time in Egypt with my sire, Korfus. Maybe after that I will return to Crete. That's where I was born, so very long ago." I said, turning away and reaching for my wineglass again. Erik caught my hand and pulled it back to rest on his own chest. I looked up to find myself lost in those emerald depths.

"Stay. Just for a little while longer. I am almost finished with my opera, and I want you to see it." he said. I scoffed and pulled away.

"And then you will spirit Christine away to your home in the caverns? She does not love you, Erik, and I doubt she ever will. I will not stay and watch you hurt yourself like that. I will stay until the Masquerade, but then I will leave." I said, my desire still burning through me.

"My plans are my own. You will stay to see my masterpiece." he said, falling back into the easy position of Phantom. I laughed coldly.

"And when Christine chooses Raoul instead of you, I will be halfway to Valencia! Perhaps if you are lucky, I will return to leave roses on your grave." I snapped, leaping out of bed and snatching up my dress. My desire had burned away, leaving another hunger in its place. I found a killer in an alleyway and drained him before tossing the body into the river. I then made my way to Jessie and Theonis' flat. When I arrived, the pair was relaxing in the salon, and Jessie immediately stood and pulled me into her arms when she saw my face.

"What happened, 'Seph?" she asked. We had become very good friends, and she had taken to calling me Seph as well. Tears flooded my eyes, and Jessie drew me over to the little couch where Theonis sat.

"I told him I was leaving after the Masquerade. He asked me to stay, said something about an opera, and all I gave him were harsh words." I confessed, tears sliding down my cheeks. Theonis gathered me into his arms and let me cry into his crimson shirt. When my tears were spent, he sat me upright and looked over at Jessie.

"I think that we will accompany you to this Masquerade Ball, and you will me the most beautiful woman there. That way, your ghost will finally see what he will be missing."

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A/N: Weelll? Please review!


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Now, we come to the infamous Masquerade! I hope you enjoy!

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True to his word, Theonis escorted both myself and Jessie to the ball. I wore a gown of blood red with a black bodice. The gown was an off the shoulder design that also revealed quite a bit of my back, a design that was quite scandalous for the time. My hair was pinned back, and my black mask covered the left side of my face, a mirror image of Erik's. Jessie and Theonis were garbed in Asian silks and fine masks. When we arrived, the atmosphere was light. The managers and Carlotta were behaving as if the ghost was a thing of the past, and Christine and Raoul had eyes only for each other. I saw the sparkling diamond ring hanging around Christine's neck and knew that she would never love Erik. I decided to enjoy myself that night, allowing my inhuman grace and beauty to shine through. I danced with several partners that night, all of whom attempted to divine who I was, but I easily avoided the questions. As the midnight hour drew near, suddenly there was a scream from the top of the stairs and everyone assembled turned to see the commanding figure there. Erik had dressed for the occasion, in a blood red shirt and black pants, black boots and a cape. He had replaced his normal mask with a full face skull mask that left his chin and mouth bare. He began to sing to all assembled, and I nearly came undone. His voice had always had an effect on me, but this was a thousand times more powerful. I slowly drifted to where Christine was standing, gazing at her teacher in amazement. As he approached her, his gaze found me, and he paused, shock evident in those perfect eyes. Then he snatched the ring from Christine's neck.

"Your chains are still mine!" he sang to her, and then his eyes slid over to me.

"You belong to me." he whispered. I took one step forward as flames erupted around him. A pair of hands grabbed my arms and dragged me backwards as the flames faded to reveal a trapdoor. Raoul appeared out of nowhere and leapt into the trapdoor, right before it slammed shut. I looked back to see Theonis holding onto me, a small smile on his face.

"I can see why you are attracted to him, 'Seph. Come on." he said, pulling me to my feet and leading me out of the ballroom. Jessie met me in the hallway and I led them up to the roof. When we reached it, I pulled the pins from my hair and shook it loose. Turning around, I saw Jessie leaning back comfortably in Theonis' arms. I felt a small stab of jealousy as I watched them, but I pushed it down.

"I am impressed, Mina. His voice alone is enough to make any woman desire him." Jessie said.

"I would feel insulted, but it is true. The man is good." Theonis said. I sighed and turned to pace, my skirts swaying as I moved.

"And all he seems to see is Christine. I hate that I am so jealous of her." I railed. Theonis chuckled and drew Jessie into an impromptu waltz while I sulked against the side of the great statue of a horse. I watched the pair dance around the rooftop, lovers without a care, and felt a deep sadness as I watched them move about. I had friends and my sire, and I had had occasional lovers, but I had never had someone that could touch my heart the way Erik did. I realized as I watched my friends dance, that I wanted what they had. With a heavy heart, I realized that I would never have it with Erik, because of his obsession with Christine. I sadly turned away and went down to my rooms, where I locked my door and went to pull my mask off my face.

"You look beautiful." Erik whispered from the shadows. I started at the sound of his voice, and turned to where he normally stood. There was a brief flare of a match and then a candle was lit. Erik still wore his skull mask, and behind it his eyes were troubled. I swallowed thickly as his eyes swept over my body.

"Thank you." I whispered. Erik pushed off the wall and came to stand before me, placing his hand on my mask.

"Why do you wear such a mask?" he asked. I looked up at him, and sighed, feeling the ache in my heart at having him so close.

"Why shouldn't I? It was like a private joke." I replied. His fingers curled around the edges and pulled it away, his other hand sliding through my hair.

"Stay. Please. At least for my opera. Then everything will be as it should." he begged, and I felt my heart break once more. No matter how much it hurt, I could not deny him a thing.

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The preparations for Don Juan Triumphant began within a few days, and we could all tell that it was a unique masterpiece. I spent most of my time giving tonics to Christine, whose nerves were constantly frayed at the thought of going through with what her teacher had planned. I of course knew about the plan to capture Erik when the curtain fell, and so did he. Everyone was so terribly busy that Erik and I didn't speak. As the rehearsals progressed, I began to make my arrangements to leave Paris once more. I sent some of my belongings ahead of me to Cairo where I would stay with Korfus for a time, and I gave my notice to the managers, who barely gave me any notice they were so overwhelmed. Finally, the day before the opera was to premier, I was ready to leave. My things were packed, and I was dressed for travel. The only thing left was to say good-bye to Erik. I sat in his home by the lake, on the organ bench, just looking over the beautiful space. Before too long, Erik came storming in, ranting about the fool of a Vicompt and how dare he interfere with 'his angel'. He did not notice me for a moment, but I was instantly aware of the wound on his arm. My throat burned with the scent of his blood. He looked over at me, his eyes wild and his hair mussed, and he froze at the sight of me in traveling clothes.

"Are you alright?" I asked stiffly, holding myself tightly in check. The vampire in me desired nothing more than to fly across the room and suckle at the wound like a cat with cream, while the woman in me wanted to rush to his side and care for his injury. He straightened and looked at me with cold eyes that could not quite hide the pain in their depths.

"It isn't serious. So you are leaving?" he asked. I nodded as I stood gracefully, blinking back tears behind the flimsy veil of my hat.

"Yes. I just wanted to say good-bye. I thought you at least deserved that." I replied, my voice wavering slightly at the end. Erik moved across the space swiftly, and I stood and backed up against the organ behind me, one hand stretched out to stop him. But he came right up to the organ and gripped my arms tightly.

"I do not want you to leave. You must stay." He growled, and I shuddered as my senses were overwhelmed by the feeling of him so close to me combined with the sweet burn of the scent of blood on his arm.

"Erik, please, you're too close." I whispered, fear in my eyes as I looked down at his arm. After a moment, Erik pulled away and roughly grabbed a cloth to bind the wound. I took a deep breath and walked forward. I took his arm and made him sit down on the organ bench, tearing his shirt open a little more to expose the wound. I stopped breathing to ease the burn in my throat, and drew a small knife from a hidden pocket in my dress.

"Mina, what are you doing?" he asked. I met his eyes steadily as I drew the blade across my palm. Blood welled up on my hand and I pressed it to the wound on Erik's arm. After a moment, I pulled my hand away and use the rag to clean away the remaining blood. Erik looked down at his arm in amazement as I brought my hand to my lips to lick the blood away. My eyes slid closed in bliss at the taste, and when I opened them, Erik was staring at me. I felt a bloody tear slip down my face and he reached out to wipe it away.

"I have to go. I can't stay and watch everything go wrong." I said sadly. Before I could react, Erik brought his finger to his lips and tasted the bloody tear there. I froze as his eyes widened in surprise.

"I can hear so much! The water on the stones, the rustle of your dress, even your heartbeat." He said, turning his gaze back to me. I felt my heart speed up at the realization.

"It's called the Taste. It happens when we give a small bit of blood to a mortal, so they can get a feel for what it's like to be a vampire." I whispered, my voice shaking. Erik stood and walked across his lair, looking over everything.

"How can you stand the noise?" he asked, turning back to me. I locked my hands in my lap, hoping to hide the trembling in them.

"You learn to tune it out." I replied softly. He turned and was suddenly at my side, running his fingers through my hair.

"Such tremendous power." He murmured. I looked up fearfully at him, the shaking in my hands nearly uncontrollable.

"Beware Erik. The path you tread is a dark one. Avaricious vampires are hunted down by their kin to protect us all." I said, my voice shaking. Erik's face fell, and his hands slid to cradle my face as tears began to slide down my cheeks.

"Please, do not cry Mina. I would do most anything to keep your eyes from looking so sad." He said softly, his eyes drawn to the bloody tears on my face. He leaned down and pressed his lips to the corner of my mouth, drinking the tears gathered there. I shuddered as his lips moved to cover mine, and my hands slid up to his neck. I felt desire surge through my blood like lava, and I moaned as his lips moved to my neck.

"Erik." I breathed, and his lips moved to my shoulder. I let my fingers slide through his hair, my eyes sliding shut in ecstasy.

"Christine." He breathed against my skin, and my blood ran cold as I froze in his arms. I pushed him away roughly, feeling my heart shatter as the bloody tears flowed down my face.

"Goodbye, Erik." I said, using my inhuman speed to flee his home by the lake, leaving the pieces of my broken heart behind.

I fled through the streets of Paris to Theonis and Jessie's home. I burst through the door and collapsed in the entryway sobbing. Jessie was instantly at my side, wrapping her arms around me.

"What happened?" she asked, but I could not reply, I was sobbing so hard. Footsteps sounded behind Jessie, and familiar arms wrapped around me.

"My sweet Mina, what has happened to you?" Korfus asked gently. Hearing his voice only made me cry even harder.

"How can I go on, Korfus? How can I survive when it feels like my heart has been ripped out?" I sobbed. Korfus did not reply, simply held me in his arms, stroking my hair like a child's.

An hour later, I sat curled on a sofa next to Korfus, reciting everything that had happened in the last year. He listened carefully to my story, his eyes shining with sympathy as I confessed my feelings for Erik. Finally, when I had no more words, and my tears had run dry, he sat back and took on a thoughtful look.

"We have seen this many times before, my child; Hades and Persephone, Apollo and the dryad Laurel, even Romeo and Juliet from that Englishman's play. The only difference now is that you have the chance to change the ending. This time, you have the ability to offer your ghost a choice: The pure angel who will undoubtedly refuse him and leave him to his destruction, or the dark haired vampires who can give him the world." Korfus said. I shook my head sadly.

"He called me Christine. He does not love me." I protested. Korfus smiled indulgently.

"Perhaps he does not realize that it is love he feels for you, and obsession for Christine, rather than the other way around." He suggested.

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A/N: Well, this tale is nearly over. There is only one chapter left, and I hope you will enjoy. This is my first attempt at angst. I hope I did well.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: The Grand Finale! A short tale, but I hope you enjoyed it.

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Korfus escorted me to the opening of Erik's opera. He had dressed me in a gown of the finest silks, and had emeralds woven into my hair. We settled into our box, and I let my gaze sweep over the opera house and spotted the rigging Erik had fashioned to the chandelier. I pointed it out to Korfus.

"We should be ready to move when the time comes." He whispered. The lamps were dimmed, and the overture began. The music swept over the audience, and I felt everything it was meant to evoke painfully well. The dancers were superb, and Christine played her part perfectly, the pure angel trapped in a realm of desire and passion. Piangi gazed over her scantily clad form lecherously, and I gritted my teeth in annoyance. The opera continued, and I watched for any sign of my beloved Erik. All too soon, the climax arrived, and I stiffened as I saw that Erik had taken Piangi's place by Christine's side. His voice washed over me, making desire surge in my blood, an inferno I could do nothing to quell. I watched with immense pain in my heart as he embraced Christine, seemed to speak softly to her. Her eyes turned sad for a moment, then her fingers curled like talons and she ripped the mask from his face, revealing the scarred flesh to the world amid gasps and screams of terror. I was staring in shock at Erik, the mass of distorted flesh on his right cheek and around his eye barely capturing my attention. I saw only the pain and betrayal in those stunning eyes. He yanked Christine close to him and severed the rope to drop them into the tunnels as well as drop the chandelier. Korfus was already on his feet, and he pulled me up.

"We have to go, Mina!" he shouted. I turned and looked at my sire.

"It's time to give him his choice." I shouted back. Korfus nodded shortly, pressing a quick kiss to my forehead. I used my inhuman speed to reach my old rooms, passing the stagehands and dancers who were whipped into a frenzy at the act of terror. I tore the fine dress from my body and snatched up the plain green gown hanging near the mirror. I triggered the hidden catch on the mirror and hurried down through the tunnels to Erik's lair. When I arrived, my blood froze in my veins as I saw a shaking Christine kissing Erik. I saw Raoul caught up in the Punjab lasso that was slipping from Erik's grasp. I felt the tears streaming down my face as I watched the man I loved holding onto another woman desperately. Suddenly he pushed her away with a strangled cry.

"Go! Take your lover and go! Leave me to my solitude!" he howled. Christine raced over to where Raoul was pulling free as I stepped from the shadows.

"Erik! The mob is coming after you. Please, you have to leave!" I cried, kneeling before him. His head shot up, his beautiful emerald eyes shining with tears.

"Mina? You came back to me?" he whispered, surprise an awe plain on his face.

"I couldn't leave. No matter how much it breaks my heart to see you with another, I cannot deny you a thing." I replied through my tears. Behind Erik, I saw Raoul regain his feet and lift his sword. I stood swiftly and placed myself between Erik and the Vicompt.

"You have rescued you precious Christine Vicompt. Leave this place, and I swear to you that you will never see us again." I said coldly. The Vicompt was staring at me with frightened eyes, and I suddenly realized that I must have truly looked terrifying at that moment, with bloody tear tracks along my face and my wild hair studded with emeralds. I saw him move to run me through, and heard Christine scream, but suddenly I saw Erik standing in front of me, the tip of Raoul's sword piercing his back, the shirt staining red with his blood. At that moment, I realized two things. Erik had stepped forward to protect me from Raoul, and he was going to die.

Time seemed to slow down at that moment. I stood there, staring in horror, as Raoul pulled his blade from Erik's body. As I watched him fall forward, I caught him in my arms, turning him to look at the wound. Blood was spreading quickly over his linen shirt, and I knew time was short.

"No! You are not going to die like this. I can save you Erik." I cried, rawing my hidden dagger. Dimly I could hear Christine begging Raoul to leave, but I paid them no mind.

"Forgive me, _ma ange nuit_. I was such a fool." He gasped, his eyes clouded.

"Of course I forgive you Erik! Just hold on, please!" I cried, slicing open my hand and pressing it to the wound in his chest. I was listening to his heartbeat struggle, and feared he would die before I could heal him. I glared up at Raoul, fury in my sapphire eyes.

"Pray he does not die fool, or I will take my vengeance!" I hissed, before lifting Erik's heavy form and racing through the tunnels to the surface. We emerged in a dark alley across from the burning opera house, and I looked down at Erik. His heartbeat was slowing, and I knew that only one thing would save him.

"Forgive me Erik, but this is the only way to save you. You will sleep for a very long time, but I will wait for you my love." I whispered, even as my dagger bit deeply into my wrist. I pressed my arm against his still bleeding wound an prayed, even as his breathing shallowed and his heart slowed. After ten agonizing minutes, I could no longer hear either his heart nor his breath, and his wound had stopped bleeding. I lifted him up and carried his body through the shadows to the cemetery and a hidden mausoleum. Once inside, I laid his body across the stone slab inside and arranged his limbs carefully. I leaned over and pressed my lips to his one last time, even as my strength faded. From the doorway I heard footsteps, but I did not turn.

"I'm so sorry Mina." Korfus whispered behind me. I smiled down at Erik's face which finally bore a look of peace.

"He is in the Sleep. Even if it takes centuries for him to awake, I will wait." I whispered, even as my legs gave out beneath me. I felt my sire's arms catch me as I fell, and lift me onto the stone next to Erik's still form.

"Rest now, my child. Dream of the future you will have when he awakes." He said, even as my vision dimmed and I slid into the velvet darkness of the Sleep of the Dead.

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I would like to tell you that when I awoke from the Sleep nearly fifty years later, that Erik woke as well and we lived happily ever after. As much as I wish it were the truth, it is not. He sleeps to this day, and the only proof I have that he is not dead is the fact that he is unchanged from the last time I saw his perfect eyes. I travel the world still, and visit Paris occasionally to see if my beloved has awoken. Theonis and Jessie have made themselves a permanent home in Versailles, and had Erik moved to an underground room there. They have promised to call me should he wake while I am not there. Korfus still travels, sometimes with me, but most times on his own. Sometimes, late at night, I look up at the stars and I wonder how Erik will react when he sees this new world. I wonder too if he will accept me in his life after I made him what he is now. Whatever happens, he will always be the only man I have loved, and I will love him with my dying breath.

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A/N: And here is the end. It's so sad, and I don't really like sad endings, but I just couldn't write a happy ending for this one. I am preparing a sequal that will be a one or twoshot, and I need your help. Should Erik still be deformed when he finally awakes, or should becoming a vampire heal his face? I will put a poll on my profile page to see what you think. Please give me your opinions! And once more, thank you for taking the time to read my pitiful work.


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